FGCU (13-2) vs. Bethune-Cookman (3-12)
Saturday, Sept. 27 | 7 PM | Daytona Beach
Links: LIVE STATS | WATCH
Coaches: Matt Botford (3rd season @ FGCU – 53-24; same overall) | Brittany Williams (2nd season @ Stetson – 18-28; same overall)
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Riding a 12 game win streak, the FGCU volleyball team will leave the comfort of the Nest on Tuesday to face in-state rival Bethune-Cookman. The first serve is slated for 7 p.m. The Eagles have downed the Wildcats in all eight of their meetings since 2007.
 
Fans can catch a live broadcast of the match via Facebook Live on the Bethune-Cookman volleyball Facebook page. Live stats will also be available from Sidearm stats. Links for both websites can be found at FGCUathletics.com or at the top of this release.
 
STREAKING
FGCU has downed its opponents in 12 straight matches going into this week. The Eagles' streak ranks second among active streaks in Division I volleyball behind Nebraska who tallies 27 and ties for third in the program's DI history. The last time FGCU won 12 in a row was in 2012 when they set a DI program record of 15 straight.
 
THE GREEN AND BLUE
FGCU enters the mid-week match 13-2 after defeating conference foe Stetson 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-14) on Saturday night at Alico Arena. As a team, FGCU held Stetson to a -.011 hitting percentage and out-blocked the Hatters 13-to-1. Libero Courtney Stephens (Winter Park, Fla./ Winter Park HS) managed the floor defense for the Green and Blue and tallied 13 digs in the match.
 
Freshman Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) led the Eagles for the first time in her career with 11 kills and added production along the net with five blocks.
 
As the season reaches its halfway point, the Eagles own the most efficient offense in the ASUN Conference with a .290 hitting percentage (13th in the NCAA). Setter Maggie Rick (Alpharhetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) has been a large part of the unit's success and is averaging a conference-leading 10.79 assists per set.
 
Outside hitter Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) leads the ASUN with 232 kills – over 25 more than anyone else in the conference. With 647 kills in her collegiate career, the sophomore is on pace to overtake USA Olympian Brooke Youngquist Sweat for most career kills in program history.
 
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN
The Wildcats captured back-to-back wins during their first week of MEAC play sweeping Savannah State and South Carolina State at home.
 
Junior Alondra Bautista leads the team offensively with 2.13 kills per set.
 
Phylecia Armstrong set a program record with a .750 hitting percentage against Tulane, recording 15 kills with zero errors on 20 attempts. Armstrong ranks third on the team with 2.06 kills per set and leads the Wildcats with 48 total blocks.
 
Defensively, Normaire Rolon Soto has collected a team-best 157 digs, while J'nai Higgins and Phalen Clark have been splitting setting duties with 223 and 216 assists respectively.
 
UP NEXT
The Eagles return home for back-to-back ASUN matches this weekend at Alico Arena. FGCU faces NJIT on Friday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. before welcoming USC Upstate on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. 
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his third year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program.  His teams have combined for an overall 53-24 (.688) record, including a 22-7 (.759) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish. Botsford has coached 10 All-Conference selections in his two seasons. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.